


Those Were The Days

by triplequad



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Flashbacks, Friendship/Love, M/M, Memories, Moving On, Olympics, Romance, Songfic, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 10:05:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14590650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triplequad/pseuds/triplequad
Summary: Shoma decides that as long as he has Yuzuru by his side along with his happy memories with Sota, then he'll be okay.





	Those Were The Days

 

 

He takes the center ice with a small smile, ears ringing with the crowd's cheer of his name. He closes his eyes and takes his starting position, listening as his name is being called, allowing himself to soak in the feeling of sweet victory washing over him.

“On the ice, Olympic silver medalist Men's Singles Event, Shoma Uno!”

Shoma smiles further, allowing himself to feel proud for his achievement. The Olympics is a one of a kind event and for him to win silver is something special.

He might have said to the media that he doesn't have special feelings for the Olympics but he understands that to others, getting to the Olympics is a life goal.

 

_It's been a long day without you, my friend_   
_And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_   
_We've come a long way from where we began_   
_Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_   
_When I see you again_

 

//

 

_“What is your goal after this?”_

_“To make it to the Olympic Team!”_

_Shoma remembers laughing, doing quick calculations in his head while the interviewer chuckles at their answer. In four years time he'll be around twenty years old, Sota eighteen. It was doable. They can both be in the Olympic Team if they worked hard for it._

_He brings his attention back to Sota's laughing face, watching him crinkle his eyes with amusement at his own statement. Give it to Sota to think about the Olympics already just after winning silver at the Junior Grand Prix Final._

_“How about you, Uno-senshu? Now that you've won gold at the Junior Grand Prix Final, what's the next step for you?”_

_Shoma meekly smiles at the interviewer, before turning his gaze back at Sota. Sota nods at him, as if to encourage Shoma to speak. He may be younger, but Sota was always one of the people who supports Shoma when in time of need._

_“I don't know,” Shoma answers, gaze lingering at Sota's face before looking away, missing Sota turning to look at him with eyes filled with warmth. “I guess as long as I compete with Sota, I'll be fine.”_

 

//

 

He closes his eyes, wills his body to feel the music and turns as soon as he hears the singing voice echo in the rink. He lifts his arms, and allows the movement to flow through his body, extending his lines to make the movement look more graceful. Shoma doesn't understand enough English but Mihoko told him that regardless of the language, he should feel the music instead. Feel the longing, the sadness,the bittersweet feeling of trying to reach out to something that is not within your grasp.

Shoma sets up to a double salchow and perfectly lands it in cue.

 

_Damn, who knew?_   
_All the planes we flew_   
_Good things we've been through_   
_That I'll be standing right here talking to you_   
_'Bout another path_   
_I know we loved to hit the road and laugh_   
_But something told me that it wouldn't last_   
_Had to switch up_   
_Look at things different, see the bigger picture_   
_Those were the days_   
_Hard work forever pays_   
_Now I see you in a better place (see you in a better place)_

 

//

 

_He knows he shouldn't make a call during a competition, but as soon as all results are in, Shoma picks up his phone and rings Yuzuru._

_Sitting in a corner where no one can bother Shoma before they're veered into the rink once more for the announcement of the Olympic Team, Shoma shares a quiet conversation with Yuzuru in hushed whispers and fond but unseen smiles. Shoma nods whenever Yuzuru praises him and congratulates him for winning his second National title in a row, and quietly thanks him._

_“I wish you were here.”_

_He can hear Yuzuru exhaling a shaky breath, obviously in distress at the situation._

_“Yeah, me too.”_

_Shoma picks at a frayed edge of his blue Turandot costume, hands itching to touch anything just so not to let sadness consume him, the want to reach out to Yuzuru and to have him physically by his side._

_“We'll be seeing each other again, just a few more months.” Yuzuru tells him. “I miss you so much.”_

_He swallows a shaky exhale at the words, a sad smile painted on his face. “I miss you too.”_

_Shoma lifts his head up when shadow loom above him, eyes widening when he sees who is in front of him before quickly standing up. “I'm going to call you back.” He quickly says on the phone, ending the call in the next second._

_He has no valid reason, but Shoma feels ashamed as to why he has ignored Sota for almost the whole competition. He wants to talk to him, wants to ask how he is after more than a year of being apart, but the only reason that Shoma can think of was that he's afraid that Sota won't look at him the same._

_“Hey, was that Yuzu-kun?”_

_Shoma smiles hesitantly, nodding slowly. Sota flashes him a smile and instead of relief, Shoma feels his chest restrict once more. Sota has always been so good to him, even if Shoma was always the first one to pull away._

_“Congrats on the gold Sho! I always knew you can do it, you're one step closer to the Olympic gold!”_

_He smiles uneasily at the compliment, bowing his head awkwardly in gratitude. When had they become so awkward?_

_“Thanks. Congratulations too, on the 9th finish.” Sota waves him off at this with a hand near his face. It makes Shoma laugh, easing his nerves even just a bit. “Nah, I have to work harder. I have to get my jumps back, I still don't have my triple axel.”_

_Shoma averts his gaze at this, as if ashamed of himself for achieving so much, for his achievements pulled him far away from Sota._

_He wanted to blame Sota's injury, for giving him hell at a time where they were supposed to go through all competitions together, to push the other to great heights, to be the other's pillar of support when needed._

_He knows it's unreasonable, that fate sometimes just plays with their lives and they're just pawns in the game._

_Shoma has long accepted that he can't turn back the time, but the bittersweet feeling that it's as if he left Sota on his own, is still present._

_His attention gets back to the present when a hand lands heavily on his shoulder, strong and secure. “Promise me one thing Shoma. You'll do your best okay? No matter what happens, I'm already proud of you.”_

_Shoma swallows the lump in his throat, willing the tears not to fall from his eyes. Even many years later, Sota is still someone who gives him support when he truly needs it._

_“I will, Sota. Thank you.”_

 

//

 

With his arm up and gaze looking upwards, Shoma feels the music as he flows into an outside then inside edge spread eagle, before setting himself up into another perfectly landed double salchow.

He lets the quiet but powerful piano notes flow into him when he kneels, fingertips touching the floor as if to reach out to someone not within his reach anymore. Shoma lets the feeling of sadness wash over him, letting the bittersweet feeling of acceptance come over him as he extends his leg to turn before standing up.

Shoma allows a small smile to linger on his face, feeling the message of the music. It's time to let go, it's time to accept that they're on different paths now.

 

 

_So let the light guide your way, yeah_   
_Hold every memory as you go_   
_And every road you take, will always lead you home, home_

 

//

 

_A day before he leaves for Pyeongchang, he receives a visitor at his apartment._

_With a small gift bag in hand, Sota Yamamoto stands in front of him with a small expectant smile on his face. Shoma swallows the nerves of nervousness creeping up his throat. He can't turn away all the time._

_“I won't be long Shoma, I just wanted to give you something.”_

_He gives Shoma the gift bag, and encourages him to open it with a single nod. Shoma opens it slowly, only to reveal a trinket that's more of a small keychain, a little something that he bought for Sota as a joke back when they were at Spain at the Junior Grand Prix Final._

_Shoma looks at Sota confusingly, as the latter just laughs at his facial expression._

_“I didn't actually expect that you can still remember that!” He exclaims, successfully getting a small smile out of Shoma. “Ever since you bought me that, it's become one of my lucky charms. Cheesy right?”_

_He can feel the guilt in his chest expanding, as he wills himself to calm down and to breathe normally. “A lucky charm?”_

_Sota takes a step forward to pluck the trinket out of Shoma's hands, examining it carefully in his. “Sort of. It just reminds me how much you worked hard to be able to stand where you are right now, so everytime I see it I trained twice as hard.” He pauses, before placing it back on Shoma's hand, closing it before placing his hand on top of his._

_“Take it as a symbol of your hard work Shoma. That everything you have at the moment is because you worked hard for it. And if anything, you deserve every achievement that you have right now.”_

_At Sota's words, Shoma unknowingly allows a tear to fall down from his face, smiling sheepishly a moment later when he realizes it. Sota smiles back at him and although sadness can be seen in his eyes, there's a also determination in them too._

_“We may not be on the same path anymore Shoma, but I'll always be here, cheering you on.”_

 

//

 

Shoma finishes his exhibition with a smile, closing it with a perfect double axel and the crowd favorite cantilever. He lets the cheers of the people reach him, both arms up to wave his gratitude to the people who supported him in his Olympic win.

As soon as he leaves the ice he was greeted by strong arms crushing him into an embrace, as he muffles his laughter against the junction between Yuzuru's neck and shoulder hugging him back just as tightly. They pull away after a moment, sharing soft smiles between close distances.

“I'm so proud of you Shoma.”

He smiles at the statement, nodding his head in response to Yuzuru's praise. After a second Shoma chooses to bury his face against Yuzuru's neck again, breathing in his scent deeply as he wraps his arms around Yuzuru once more.

“Thank you, really.” He says, and smiles after feeling Yuzuru's arms wrap around him once more, feeling the faintest of a kiss being placed on top of his head.

It took him a while, but Shoma realizes that he can't always live in hesitance and what-ifs. Maybe fate has already decided from the start that he and Sota will separate paths, that it is necessary for them to live their lives. Shoma and Sota share a bond that's rare and special, but Shoma realizes that things are different now, they are on two different paths, that he has to move on.

Pulling away to look at Yuzuru's smiling face, Shoma thinks that the path he has chosen isn't that bad. Shoma decides that as long as he has Yuzuru by his side along with his happy memories with Sota, then he'll be okay.

 

_It's been a long day without you, my friend_   
_And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_   
_We've come a long way from where we began_   
_Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_   
_When I see you again_

 


End file.
